MOBILE, Ala. - Coming off their largest win of the season on Thursday, Oct. 21 against Talladega College in Talladega, Ala., the University of Mobile Women's Soccer team hosted Blue Mountain College on Senior Day Saturday, Oct. 23 in what was an important conference match. In Saturday afternoon's match, both teams traded the lead back and forth for the entire 90 minutes, with Mobile scoring the final two goals of the match in the final 10 minutes, including the game-winner with under four minutes left on the clock. Mobile defeated the Toppers, 4-3 and remains in fourth in the current SSAC Women's Soccer standings. The top four teams in the standings will earn a host-bid in the first round of the SSAC Women's Soccer Championship Tournament.
Prior to the start of Saturday's match, eight seniors graduating and leaving the program were honored for Senior Day. Those seniors were: Kalea Ashley, Elaina Davies, Reagan Hyde, Alexis Knott, Payton Lewis, Gabriella Looker, Maria Alejandra Diaz Linde, and Karlie Ruff. All seniors were awarded a gift and took a pictures with families, coaches, and teammates.
In the match, Blue Mountain hit the scoreboard first in the 27th minute. The Toppers entered Saturday's match still winless in the conference. The Rams answered back from Blue Mountain's first goal right before halftime in the 41st minute. Elke Fernandez recorded the goal for Mobile and was assisted by Rachel Salyn. Fernandez now leads the team with five goals scored this season. The match went to halftime tied at one goal a piece.
In the second half on Saturday, the offenses came alive for both teams. Anakah Madril scored her fifth goal of the season, tying her with Fernandez for the team lead, in the 55th minute to put the Rams up, 2-1. However, Blue Mountain managed to tie the match again just 10 minutes later and eventually re-took the lead in the 78th minute with another goal.
With the match sitting at 3-2 in favor of Blue Mountain, Mia Mugford scored the equalizer off a free-kick in the 81st minute. Mugford's match-tying goal was her fourth on the year. With the clock ticking away and the match looking destined for overtime, Mobile punched across the game-winner in the 86th minute off the foot of Elaina Davies. For Davies, it was a special moment as the senior scored the deciding goal on Senior Day.
The Rams out-shot the Toppers, 41-10 on Saturday, with 17 of shots being on-goal. Blue Mountain had just three shots-on-goal, being the three goals scored. Mobile's overall record improves to 3-10-2 on the season as they have won back-to-back matches for the first time during the 2021 season. The Rams' conference record sits a 3-3 on the year.
Mobile will wrap up the 2021 regular season with a date against No. 1 William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Miss. The match against the top-ranked Crusaders is scheduled for Oct. 28 at 5:00 p.m. CT. With a win, or a Dalton State loss against Faulkner, Mobile will earn the fourth seed in the SSAC Women's Soccer Championship Tournament and earn a host-bid.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
